1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to storage devices for storing kitchen utensils. In particular, the invention is a device for holding a lid for a pot, pan, or other cooking dish.
2. Description of the Related Art
One problem often encountered while cooking is the need to momentarily uncover a pot, pan, or other cooking container for stirring or otherwise manipulating the food being prepared. A user generally needs one hand for removing and holding the lid, another hand for holding the pot or pan, and a third hand for operating the spoon or spatula to manipulate the food. Since most cooks only have two hands, this means that they have to find a location to temporarily place the lid. The available “places” usually include an unused burner (not always available), the counter (not always advisable for a hot lid and not always clean), the sink (often too distant or cluttered), or precariously balanced against an adjoining wall or appliance. This is commonly a prelude to a messy disaster.
Many different storage solutions have been proposed in the past with limited success. Problems with storage of lids stem from the fact that lids are bulky, irregularly shaped, and in general, consume an inordinate amount of space for their size. A first solution for this problem has been to store the lids on the pans. However, this means a user cannot “nest” pans and therefore this method consumes a huge amount of storage space, more than is generally available in most kitchens. Another option is to stack lids in a drawer. The drawbacks to this method are that the lids get banged up and are hard to find.
A third solution proposed in the past is to install “drawer-type” storage systems. Many of these designs are reasonably flexible in the type of lids they will accommodate, except for lids with high profiles such as a roasting pan. Such high profile lids will not fit in the holding slots that these drawers all use for holding lids upright. Also, the drawers take up a large amount of cabinet space and only store a few lids. Even the manufacturers' promotional photos show that these will only store a handful of lids (a few more if the lids are all very small). Most cooks have at least a dozen pans of various sizes, so would need three or four sets of these drawers.
A further option is to use “free-standing” lid storage devices, of which there are many. The advantages of a free-standing device are that it is generally inexpensive and can accept a wide variety of lids. However, there are also a number of disadvantages. First, the lids always need to be arranged small to big, front to back, otherwise a user cannot see the small lids. The free-standing devices are also very cumbersome and unstable when they are full of lids. As a result, they do not move well, and can fall or tip over when moving lids in or out. If placed on a counter they take up a large amount of space. When placed in a cabinet, it is difficult to retrieve a large lid from the back because of the space constraint between the lids in front and the top of the cabinet or the shelf above the device. Also, the lid handles tend to catch on other lids when removed from the device, so a user generally cannot remove lids with only one hand.
Some upscale and professional kitchens use pot racks usually mounted over a preparation surface, such as an island. Most of these pot racks have no ability to store lids. The only practical place to place lids is on a shelf on top of the pot rack. This shelf is generally too high for a user to reach a lid without a stepladder.
The most plentiful storage space in most kitchens seems to be vertical—cabinet doors, backs, and sides. There are a few devices that seek to take advantage of these surfaces. The few examples in the prior art are inflexible in the size and profile of the lids they will store. Such device also stick out a long way beyond the mounting surface, thereby consuming precious horizontal surface area provided by the shelves within the cabinets. Custom hooks or clasps are also often mounted to hold lids on these surfaces. This can be a solution until the purchase of new or replacement pots and pans.
Ideally, a device to hold a hot lid should do so without damage to the device, the lid, or the mounting surface. The device should also be easy enough to use such that a user can attach the lid to the holding device quickly and with one hand. Such a device should also be able to accommodate lids of multiple sizes and configurations, whatever the cook is using at the moment. The device should further be easy to clean after cooking. It would also be desirable if the holding device were attractive enough to compliment the aesthetics of a well-designed kitchen.
The information included in this Background section of the specification, including any references cited herein and any description or discussion thereof, is included for technical reference purposes only and is not to be regarded subject matter by which the scope of the invention is to be bound.